On Thursday, 16 June, the Saeima adopted amendments to the Law on Financing of Political Organisations (Parties) in the final reading as urgent; the amendments reduced the ceiling for party expenses before an extraordinary election of the Saeima.

From now on, pre-election expenses may not exceed the monthly average gross work remuneration for the year before last, as published by the Central Statistics Bureau, which is approximated to LVL by applying a coefficient of 0.0004 per voter at the previous election of the Saeima.

Pursuant to the amended Law, the pre-election period will be the period from the day following the recalling or dissolution of the Saeima to the day of the election. The pre-election period for an extraordinary election had to be reduced because the period between the recalling or dissolution of the Saeima and the extraordinary election is shorter than the regular pre-election period.

Amendments were proposed because the Law on Financing of Political Organisations (Parties) did not specify legal regulations concerning the declaration of income and expenses of elections, nor did it set a limit for pre-election expenses in case of an extraordinary election.

Amendments to the Law on Financing of Political Organisations (Parties) will come into force on the day after their proclamation.

Saeima Press Service